Music-sheet holder and turner



P. A. HASSELBLATT. MUSIC SHEET HOLDER AND TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.3| I920.

1,409, 1 71. Patented Mar- 14, 1922 3 SHEETS-SHEET I flttomms.

P. A.. HA SSELBLA T T. v MUSIC SHEET HOLDER AND TURNER. APPLICATION FILED DE.3 I920.

I Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

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MUSIC SHEET HOLDER AND TURNER.

APPLICATION FIL ED DEC-3| 1920.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PAUL A. HASSELBLATT, F ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND.

MUSIC-SHEET HOLDER AND TURNER.

Application filed December 3, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL A. Hassnnnna'r'r, a citizen of Russia, residing at Rockville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Sheet Holders and Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for holding-and properly presenting to the view of the musician the successive pages of music contained on a continuous sheet or strip of paper. The music for one composition is printed on one side of the sheet in the form of successive spaced pages and the sheet is preferably folded tranversely on lines between pages, thus making a neat rectangular package as a whole. It will of course be obvious that a second composition may be printed on the back of the sheet and that the sheet may be wide enough to contain two compositions or sets of musical notations side by side. One main purpose of the in vention is to enable the musician to remove from view one page of the music when it is finished and bring into view the next page easily and quickly without pausing in his playing, and in the preferred form without removing his hands from the instrument which he is playing. It includes means by which a single movement applying power such as pressing the foot on a spring support pedal in convenient position will operate automatically to carry from view the page of finished music. and bring into view in proper position the next page, and which will at the same time neatly lay each finished page in succession in folded condition on those preceding it out of view. In other words. the pages are drawn from a neatly folded package, are successively pre sent It to the view of the operator, and are then removed from view and folded by the successive automatic operations of my device. The operation. of drawing this sheet is automatic in t it makes a, single pressure oi the foot more the sheet longitudinally exuctly the right amount to expose the next page. T he device, furthermore. is in the nature of an attachment which may be placed on a stand of its own or on a musical instrument such as a piano. and may be so designed to add to instead of detracting from the appearance of the instrument. A flexible drive shaft or connection from the foot pedal or manual operating means to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

Serial No. 428,045.

sheet holding and moving mechanism makes it possible to place the foot pedal in any convenient or preferred position with regard to the music holding mechanism. The holder for the page of music on view is, further more, adjustable in reference to the vertical plane so as to bring it into proper angular position so as to be best seen by the musician in accordance with the difference in position or height of the operator. Other novel features will be apparent from the following description taken with the drawings and claims.

In the drawings:

Figural is a front view of my device mounted on a stand especially adapted to re ceive it.

Figure 2 is a side view of what is shown in Figure 1, parts of the music holding and moving means being in section.

Figure 3 is a side View of the foot operating pedal from the side opposite to that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detached perspective view of parts of the foot pedal.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the one-way drive connection between the flevible drive shaft and the friction roller of the music support.

Figure 6 is a plan view looking down on the drive parts to which the flexible shaft is connected as illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a front view of a piano having my invention in operative position thereon showing the parts more or less diagrammatically.

Figure 8 is a side view partly in section of what is shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a transverse section of music supporting plate 57 shown in Figure 8 partly broken away.

In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings T. have shown my music holder mounted on a stand 10 especially made for the purpose and which may be easily moved about to any position. where iilesired, and may be of any form or height desired. On this stand. 10 there is mounted a plate or platform 11 to which is hinged at 12 the music holder embodying the bottom plate 13 and the upwardly extending plate 14: which preferably joins the plate 13 at the bottom at an angle of about forty-five degrees. The music sheet 15 in folded condition rests at its lower edge on the ledge 16 on the front face of the plate 14 and naturally retains till its position by gravity. A. light frame having side vertical bars 17 is pivoted at the top 20 to side ears 22 oi the music holder and there may be a cross rod or roller at this point over which the music sheet passes. The'frame 17 has a rod 18 at the bottom under which the music sheet is drawn and from which it passes up to toe roller at 20 exposing to view a sheet of music since the rollers 18 and 20 are spac d apart slightly more than the length of a page of music. A roller 21 is mounted on the upwardly extending side parts 22 rigid with the plates 13 and 14;, and the music sheet passes under or behind this roller 21 so as to hold it smooth and under some tension extending from roller 18 to 20.

- After leaving roller 21 the sheet passes between rollers 22 and 23, which rollers are mounted in the projections 22 and are frictlonall-y pressed together by springs 21 bearing on the shaft of the upper roller 23 and tending to move it downward in its slot bearings to grip and frictionally engage the music sheet. This frictional en- 'a ement ma be increased by )lacine on.

the roller 22 friction rings The music sheet passing between rollers 22 and 23 will of course from its resiliency extend somewhat to the rear butthrough gravity will tend to move downward to the plate '13, and

when the end of a page where the told is strikes the: plate 13 it will come in contact with the end ledge 26wh1ch will prevent it from passing over the edge of the plate,

and it will then fold down ii -at on the plate 13 and will be held in proper position by the lower projections or ledge 27. The suc- T cessive pages will of course told in opposite directions automatically as they come into the space between the parts 13 and Lt.

r the plate 11. and this permits turning tlr music holding device so that the sheet ex= posed to view will occupy different angles.

The friction. roller'22 has at one end cured to its bearing shaft a bevel gear 30 which meshes with a bevel gear 31 mounted to turn in the projecting support 32 sccured to one side of the music holding device. The bevel gear 31 has a one-way drive connection to a flexible drive shaftof well known construction and this drive shaft is turned by the operation of a foot pedal 34: pivoted at and normally held in its upper position by the spring 36.

J. iii. foot pedal has at its free end an arm 3? slotted. on a horizontal plane and fitting and held in position on the end of pro ection 38 carried by the vertical toothed bar 39 which it will be noted that the music holding and.

Ch I

moves vertically with guideways in the fixed port l1. A pressure of the foot on the foot pedal will move the rack bar down and on release 01" the foot pressure the spring 36 will return it to its upper position, there of course being stops to limit its motion in both directions. A gear'wheel 42 having gear teeth in mesh with the teeth of the rack bar 89 mounted to turn in the support 43 on the loot pedal support All and is so connected to the flexible drive shaft 33 as to turn it in either direction. The parts of the drive mechanism and the length of the movement of the 'ack 39 are so proportioned and regulated tiiat a down stroke on the foot pedal will turn the friction roller 22 evactly enough to draw the music sheet single page of music and thus the operator with his foot pushes down the pedal until the stop is reached and this automatically removes one music page from view and brings into view the next page. However, in order that the upward movement of the foot pedal under the influence of the spring 36 and the consequentreverse turning of the flexible shaft shall not result in the reverse movement of the friction roller 22 and consequently the music sheet I provide a one way drive connection between tne upper end of the drive shaft 33 and the bevel gear 31. This is illustrated in Figures 5 and (5, where it will be seen that the bevel gear 31 has a downwardly projecting cylindrical portion 4.4. turning in a bearing socket in the bracket 32 and that in its upper face there is an en larvferv cylindrical depression 15. Within and at the outer margin oi this cylindrical depression 45 there is a ring 46 having on its inner surface ratchet teeth 47 facing in one direction, and this ring 46 is prevented from turning in the bevel gear member by a locking pin 4-8. Mounted centrally within the socket is of the gear wheel 31 is a member 49liaving a lower cylindrical portion rotative in the bevel gear member and with an enlarged head 50, the projecting portion oi. that head serving to support this member in the bevel gear body. are pivoted to the head 50 and have points engaging the teeth 47 of the ring 46 to prevent relative turning of the head 50 and the ring 46 and gear 31 in one direction and there is a spring52 extending through the head and tending to force these pawls outwardly into engagement. The bevel gear 31 has at its-lower outer margin teeth 53 facing in one direction and there is apawl 54; pivoted at 55 engaging these teeth to pre vent the gear whecl 31 from accidentally turning in the reverse direction and this pawl is pressed into position by a spring in the form of the invention shown in l igu res T and 8, applied to a. pianin the main elements of structure and the method of operation are the same as that described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 and thus the showing of those common features is more or less diagrammatic. In using the device on a piano, however, it is preferable to have the music holding part of the device in front of the piano immediately above the key board and to have the finished sheets carried up and deposited in a holder placed on top of the piano. Instead, therefore, of having the plates for carrying the music before and after exhibition made in one piece or secured together, they are made separately and-the plate 57, corresponding in a sense to plate 14, is allowed to rest at an angle on top of the ledge 58 of the piano and of course carries with it the frame and rollers for holding the exposed sheet like those used in Figures l and 2. In this instance the sheet after leaving roller 21 and passing between the frictional rollers 22 and 23, is dep 'ed and folded on an inclined plate 59 corresponding in a sense with the bottom plate 13 of Figures 1 and 2, but which is mounted on top of the piano. This plate has of course the transverse upwardly projecting end flanges to receive the music sheet. The flexible drive shaft may of course be mounted in any suitable way, such for instance as to pass under and behind the piano as shown. It will be observed that the device may be used on a piano without any changes in the piano itself. and that it may be held in proper position by any suit able means on the piano.

In Figure 7 I have shown the music holding device as wide enough to receive a music sheet carrying two sets of musical notations side by side such as may be necessary in playing duets, but have shown in place a narrow music sheet adapted to contain a single set of notations. In order that this wider arrangement may properly receive and guide the narrow sheet when desired. the plate 57 is formed with a central vertical depression or groove shown in Figure 9 with side margins or edges 60 su'fliciently far apart to receive and hold in place the music sheet fitting in it. A cross bar 61 may be secured in the frame 17 above the roller 18 and provided with pivoted lugs 62 to fit against the edges of the narrow music sheet to properly guide it. In this instance also the roller :23 be provided on its surface with marks to indicate the proper position on it for the narrow sheet.

It will of course be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular uses specifically shown and described, and that it is of course adapted for use in various ways. Furthermore, while I prefer to use a folded sheet of music, it will be understood that the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to that particular form. The

particular means for driving and operating the mechanism have been shown simply to illustrate the broad ideas and method of operation which are structurally claimed by me as my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for holding and presenting to view successively the pages of continuous sheet music on an elongated substantially uniform flexible strip comprising in combination means for holding the continuous music sheet including a stationary frame on which one page is exhibited, mechanism adapted to operate on a single application of power to move that page out of position for exhibition and to bring the succeeding page into such position.

In a device for holding and presenting to view successively the pages of continuous sheet music on an elongated substantially uniform flexible strip comprising in combination means for holding the continuous music sheet including a stationary frame on which one page is exhibited, foot operated mechanism adapted to operate to move that page out of position for exhibition and to bring the succeeding page into such position.

3. In a device for holding and presenting to view successively the pages of continuous sheet music comprising in combination means for holding a continuous folded music sheet, rollers over which said sheet may be passed so spaced and positioned as to exhibit one page at a time, mechanism for so operating said rollers as to frictionally draw said sheet removing one page from view and bringing the successive page into view. the operating means including automatic means for so regulating the extent of the movement on the application of power as to correspond to the length of the page.

e. In a device for holding and presenting to view successively the pages of continuous sheet music comprising in combination means for holding a folded music sheet with one page only exhibited to view on a stationary supporting part, mechanism for simultaneously drawing said page across the surface of the supporting part and out of position and bringing the succeeding page into position for view, and means for folding the pages which have successively passed from view.

In a device for holding and presenting to view successively the pages of continuous sheet music comprising in combination means for holding the continuous music sheet with one page exhibited on a stationary supporting part. mechanism for drawing that page across the surface of the supporting part out of position and bringing the next page into position, one way acting foot operated motor mechanism adapted to rest on the floor and an elongated flexible rotary drivingconnection between said foot sheet music comprising in combination means for holdin a folded music sheet. a roller I I in rront oi and at approximately the lowest point oi said holding means under WlllOl'l the sheets may'pass, a pair oi rollers above but in a verticalplane to the rear of said lower roller adapted to receive between them and frictionally grip said sheet extending up from the lower roller and spaced from said. lower roller a distance slightly greater thanthe length of a page of music on said sheet, flexible one-way acting means for driving'one of said pairs of rollers to draw the sheet. and means connected to and movable with the free end of said flexible means foroperating said flexible means and connected roller to move said continuous sheet the length of a page-of music.

7. In a device for holding and presenting to view successively the pages of continuous sheet music comprising in combination means for holding a folded music sheet, a rollerin front of and at approximately the lowest point of said holding means under which the sheets may pass, a pair of rollers above but in a vertical plane to the rear of said lower roller adapted to receive between them and frictionally grip said sheet extending up from the lower roller and spaced from said lower roller a distance slightly greater than the length of a page of music on said sheet, flexible one-way acting means for driving one of said pairs of-rollers to draw the sheet, and means connected to and -movable with the free end of said flexible -movable member adapted to be carried by any suitable support embodying means for holding the folded sheet music with one page exposed to view at an angle to the vertical, rollers for drawing said sheet longitudinally bringing the pages of the sheet successively but intermittently into position for View and areceptacle for receiving the successive sheets after passing the point of View including nieansjfor automatically folding the sheets. flexible means connected at one end to said drawing rollers to drive the same in one direction to move'said sheet and manually operable means connected to the other end of said flexible means for operating it.

9. In a'device for holding and presenting to view successively the pages of continuous sheet music comprising in combination a. movable member adapted to be carried by any suitable support embodying means for holding the folded sheet music with one page exposed to view at an angle to the vertical, rollers for drawing said sheetlongitudinally bringing the pages'of the sheet successively but intermittently into position for view and a receptacle for receiving the successive sheets after passing the point of viewincluding means for automatically folding the sheets, flexible means connected at one end to said drawing rollers to crive the same in one direction to move said sheet and manually operable means connected to the other end ot said flexible means for operating it and means for adjusting the angle to the vertical of said sheet carrying means as desired to properly present the visible pages to view.

10. In a device :torholding and presenting to view in succession the pages of music printed in succession at regularly spaced intervals on thin elongated sheet of material having substantially unirorm flexibility throughout, comprising a fixed support rectangular in outline of such size as to be adapted to receive across its exposed taco a section of said sheet containing a tall page of music, mechanism for drawing said sheet longitudinally across the face of said support and for holding the section on said support flat and smooth both when moving and when stationary, and mechanism for so operating said dra ing mechanism as to cause it to move said sheet longitudinally a sul'hcient distance on each application of power to bring the next succeeding page of music on the sheet to proper position on said. support. 7

ll. In a device tor holding and present ing to view in succession the pages of music printed in succession at regularly spaced intervals on a thin elongated sheet of material having substantially uniform flexibility throughout. comprising a fixedsupport rectangular in outline of such size to be adapted to receive across its exposed face a section o'l'said sheet containing a full page of music toot ope ated mechanism for drawing said sheet longitudinally across the face of said support and for holding the section on saidsupport flat and smooth both when. moving and when stationary. and mechanism for so operating said. drawing mechanism as to cause it to move said sheet longitudinally a suiiicient distance or each application of power to bring the next succeeding page of music on the sheet to proper position on said support. I i

l2. In a device for hol ling and presenting to view in succession the pages of music intervals on a thin elongated sheet of material haying substantially uniform flexibility throughout, comprising a fixed suppo t rectangular in outline of such size as to be adapted receive across its exposed face a section of said sheet containing a full page of music, stationary means at the rear of said support for holding said sheet in folded condition with the folds at the lines oetween pages and alternately reversed in such posiion th t the end oortion of the sheet may ac his the lower edge of said supportand then at an angle upward over and beyond the face of said support, mechanism beyond the upper end of said support for engaging and drawing said sheet across said support and mechanism for so operating said drawing mechanism as to cause to move said sheet longitudinally a sutlicient distance on each application of power to bring the next succeeding page of. music on the sheet to proper position on said support.

13. In a device for holding and presenting to view in succession the pages of music printed in succession at regularly spaced intervals on a thin elongated sheet of material havin substantially uniform flexibility throughout, comprising a fixed support rec tangular in outline of such size as to be adapted to receive across its exposed face a section of said sheet containing a full page of music, stationary means at the rear of said support for holding said sheet in folded condition with the folds at the lines between pages and alternately reversed in such posititon that the end portion of the sheet may pass across the lower edge of said support and then at an angle upward over and beyond the face of said support, mechanism beyond the upper end of said support for engaging and drawing said sheet across said support and means at the rear of said drawing means for receiving and automatically folding said sheet.

14. In a device of the class described adapted to be mounted on a support, the combination with means for holdin in folded condition an elongated strip of fiext ble material having thereon in succession longitudinal pages of music, a movable frame in front of said holding means, means normally resting in fixed position at a slight angle to the vertical having a horizontal guide surface at its lower edge under which said strip may be drawn and bent upward with a complete page of music lying flat along the exposed face of said frame, means above said frame for engaging said strip, drawing it longitudinally and depositing the portion of said strip which has passed it in the rear of drawing means and means for so operating said drawing means that each operation will move one page of music from said frame and brin the succeeding page into position on said frame.

15. In a device of the class described adapted to be mounted on a support, the combination with means for holding in folded condition an elongated strip of flexible material having thereon in succession longitudinal pages of music, a movable frame in front of said holding means, means normally resting in fixed position at a slight angle to th vertical having a horizontal guide sur face at its lower edge under which said strip may be drawn and bent upward with a complete page of music lying flat along the exposed face of said frame, means above said frame for engaging said strip, drawing it longitudinally and depositing the portion of said strip which has passed it in the rear of drawing means, foot operated motor mechanism adapted to rest on the floor, and flexible drive connection from said motor mechanism to said sheet drawing mechanism, the structure of such foot operated mechanism and of its connection to the drawing mechanism being such that a single pressing operation by the foot will so move said strip as to carry one page of nusic out of view and bring the succeeding page into view on said frame.

16. In a device of the class described adapted to be mounted on a support, the combination with a plate like holder at a slight incline to the vertical having a horizontal ledge at the bottom adapted to support an elongated strip of flexible material having thereon in succession longitudinally pages of music, the said strip being folded on transverse lines between pages, of a frame in front of said holder substantially parallel therewith resting at its lower end by gravity against said ledge on the holder and hinged at its upper edge, the bottom edge being in a horizontal line adapted to have the strip drawn between it and said ledge and then bent and pulled up over the exposed face of the frame, means beyond said upper hinged end of the frame for engaging and drawing said strip longitudinally across said frame and depositing it in the rear thereof, the said drawing means being so constructed that each application of power will cause it to move the sheet apredetermined fixed distance.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PAUL A. HASSELBLATT. 

